Apparatus for decorating sections made of metal, plastic material or the like

Abstract

An apparatus for decorating sections comprises: a translating arrangement for translating a section along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said section; an unwinding device for unwinding from at least a first coil a strip-like flexible support bearing a transferable pattern; at least one rotary nip roller elastically complying and shaped according to a portion of said section to be decorated, so configured as to press said strip-like flexible support against said section when said section is translated along said direction; a heating device for heating said at least one rotary nip roller; a rewinding device for rewinding said strip-like flexible support onto at least one second coil, after said pattern is transferred onto said section.

1 . Apparatus for decorating sections comprising: 
 a translating arrangement for translating a section along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said section;    an unwinding device for unwinding from at least a first coil a strip-like flexible support bearing a transferable pattern;    at least one rotary nip roller elastically complying and shaped according to a portion of said section to be decorated, so configured as to press said strip-like flexible support against said section when said section is translated along said direction;    a heating device for heating said at least one rotary nip roller;    a rewinding device for rewinding said strip-like flexible support onto at least one second coil, after said pattern is transferred onto said section.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said translating arrangement is so configured as to translate said section along a horizontal plane.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one rotary nip roller has an inclined rotation axis, so as to match said portion.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating device comprises electronic means for controlling the temperature of said at least one rotary nip roller and keeping said temperature at a constant value.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of nip rollers are provided, so as to press said strip-like flexible support against several portions of said section.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the nip rollers of said plurality of nip rollers are so arranged as to press adjacent portions of said strip-like flexible support.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , and further comprising reinforcement pads intended to reinforce weak areas of said section for preventing said areas from being damaged when said strip-like flexible support is pressed against said section.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , and further comprising an oven for heating said section once said pattern is transferred thereon and thereby fix said pattern onto said section.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said oven is selected from a group comprising: ventilated air oven, UV oven and IR radiation oven.